Tibetan Burial Custom

There are five kinds of burial ways in Tibetan. They are celestial burial, water burial, cremation, inhumation and pagoda burial. People will choose different burial way base on the economy and social status of the dead.

Tibetan Burial Custom – Celestial Burial

Celestial Burial, also named Bird Burial or Sky Burial, is an ancient custom in Tibet. It is the most widely used burial way in Tibet.

After passing away, there is white Tibetan cloth covers on the corpse, and put the corpse in a corner of the house for three to five days. The friends and relatives of the dead will come to condole with the family. When they come, they will bring a bottle of wine, a piece of Hada, a little butter and joss stick, some of them will bring a small paper pocket, with the word "condole" in it. The Hada is for the dead, and other things are for the family.

After a person died, there is a red pottery with white wool or Hada on the mouth hanging on the doorway of the dead person. There are three kinds of meat dishes and three kinds of vegetable dishes in the pottery, and they will add a little into it everyday. The things in the pottery are belong to the dead. Throughout this period, the family members of the dead shall not comb hairs and wash face, and neighbors shall not sing, dance or make any fun. People do this to make the dead soul can quietly come into paradise.

After three or five days, they will choose a lucky day to hold a funeral procession. First, they will draw a white line from the corpse to the door; then, the later generation of the dead will carry the dead corpse to the door along the white line. and then handed over to a professional corpse carrier, but by no means will it be placed on the earth on the way, or else the soul of the dead will wader about there. After the corpse reached the celestial burial platform, people will fire cypress branches with three meat dishes and three vegetable dishes on it. Suddenly, the rising smoke summons the vultures flocking there. Now the celestial burial master begins to cut apart the corpse. He will incise it from its back, take out the bowels, separate the muscle from the bones, and crush the skeleton with stone, then mix this with tsampa. The master will first feed the vultures with the bowels, then with the bones and at last with the meats. If the vultures eat all without remaining, it means the dead had not committed any sin while living and his soul will be guided to heaven. Until this time, the celestial burial ceremony end.

Afterwards, family members of the dead will treat the master with meat and wine to show the respect to him.

Tibetan Burial Custom – Water Burial

Water burial custom is popular in Brahmaputra district. Especially in high water period in summer, people think water burial is better than celestial burial. Celestial burial is let the corpse eat by vulture, while the water burial is let the corpse eat by fish, both of them can make the soul get salvation. So, people make the corpse into a bow shape by wool strings, and add some stones on it, then throw it into the river. The beggars, orphans and other low social statue persons will use water burial.

Tibetan Traditional Burial – Cremation

The living Buddha, great lama, the head of the tribe and high officials will use cremation after death. The ceremony is very grand; Lama will chant sutra to release the soul. The corpse will be burned by dried firewood and ghee. Then the cremains will be brought to high mountain and throw into the wind, or sprinkle into river.

Tibetan Traditional Burial – Inhumation

There is inhumation in Tibet, but it only used by the persons who died for lepra, anthrax, smallpox and other epidemic; the bandit and homicide arsonist. It means to punish the cacodemon. When they are buried, there is no coffin, just a hole; put the corpse into the hole and covered it with soil.

Tibetan Traditional Burial – Pagoda Burial

Pagoda Burial, also named Stupa Burial, is the noblest burial way in past Tibetan. Only Dalai, Panchen Lama and great Living Buddha can be qualified. When they pass away, their bodies will undergo antiseptic treatment, mummification or preservation, and then reside inside of the stupa for worship. The stupa can be divided into golden stupa, silver stupa, bronze stupa, wooden stupa and mud stupa. The stupa differs from each other for the status. Dalai and Panchen Lama are golden stupa.